Building block or brick



(No Model.)

A. J. JUDGE.

' BUILDING BLOCK 0B BRICK.

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Patented Nov. 19, 1889.

El; Am

i A' im UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR J. JUDGE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

BUILDING BLOCK OR BRICK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 415,642, dated November 19, 1889.

Application filed October 1, 1889. Serial 110.325,683. (No model.)

To all 10700721/ it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. JUDGE, of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Building Blocks or Bricks, of

which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My present invention relates to a brick or block intended for use in the construction of buildings, and is particularly adapted for use` in connection With a door, shutters, &c., for which it forms the hinge-support; and my invention consists, broadly, in an expansible brick or block, as more fully described hereinafter, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure I is a front elevation illustrative of my invention. Fig. II is a section taken on line II II, Fig. I. Fig. III is a perspective view showing different parts of the block or brick removed. Fig. IV is aperspective vienv of the block or brick in itscomplete form. Fig. V is a similar view illustrating a slight modification.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents part of the Wall of a building, and 2 the brick or block forming a part of the Wall, and to which my invention relates.

In the preferred form of construction the brick consists of a bottom Wall 3, a front 4, end Walls 5, and a top Wall or plate 6. The walls 3, 4, and 5 are preferably cast or formed integral or in one piece, and the Wall G in a separate piece formed to fit into the Walls 4 and 5, as shown in Fig. IV.

47 represents Wedges looselyV fitting on the bottom Wall 3, and held from lateral movement by flanges 8 cast on the Wall These blocks are free to move toward or from the back wall et of the brick. They are perforated, as shown at 9, for the passage of threaded bolts 10, and are mortised, as shown at 11, for the reception of nuts l2, (see Fig. II,) through Which the bolts 10 pass and have their connection. The tops of the Wedges 7 are preferably inclined, as shown in Fig. III, being lower at their inner ends than at their outer ends. The top (i is provided With flanges 13, which are preferably made tapering, so as to be of greater height or depth at their outer than at their inner ends. Then the top G is put in place, the flanges 13 rest on the Wedges 7, and it will be seen that by turning' on the bolts IO (the outer ends of the bolts having non-eircnlar heads 14 to afford means for turning them) the height of the brick Will be adjusted in size, or made larger or smaller as desired. For instance7 supposing the brick 2 forms the hinge-support for a door 16, as shown in Fig. I, (for which purpose it would be provided with a perforated ear 17 to receive the pintle of the hinge,) and it is found that it `is not rm or solid, the difficulty can, Without any eX- pense and in but a moments time, be obviated by simply turning in the right direction on the bolts IO, which will move the VWedges 7 toward the front Wall of the brick,

and through means of the inclines on the Wedges and the ribs or flanges 13 of the top 6 raise the top, and thus enlarge or increase t-he height of the brick, causing it to be firmly held in place; and should it be desired to remove this brick forming the hinge-support, it can be very readily done by turning on the bolts 10 in the opposite direction, which Will cause the brick to be contracted in height.

Great annoyance has been experienced in bricks which form hinge-supports for doors, rbc., becoming loose and frequently dislodged, but with the use of my invention this difficulty is entirely overcome.

I prefer to make the brick of iron, but do not confine myself to any particular material.

In Fig. V is shown abrick Without a pintlelug 17, but with a `boss 20, which may be tapped to receive a bolt for connecting .any object to the brick.

I claim as my invention--` I. An expansible building brick or block, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. An expansible building brick or block' having a fixed bottom, ends, and front, .and

movable top, and means for moving the top,

IOO

able wall is moved, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a building block or brick, the combination of the bottom, end, and front Walls,

tween said flanges, threaded bolts passing through said wedges, nuts on said bolts and movable Wall having anges fitting on said 1o Wedges, substantially as set forth.

6. In a building block or brick, the combiitting in openings in the said Wedges, and a nation of Xed Walls and a movable Wall, adjustable Wedges located in said Walls and having tapering upper faces, and tapering ribs or flanges on said movable Wall lit-ting 15 5 flanges on the bottom Wall, blocks fitting bel against said Wedges, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ARTHUR J. JUDGE. I

In presence of- E. S. KNIGHT, THOMAS KNIGHT. 

